IntroductionOver the years a number of different perspectives on the prevention (and demand reduction) of drug use and substance abuse have developed, many with valid evidence-based arguments. Debates around harm reduction, decriminalisation and legalisation have been mostly focused on policy related issues. Whilst some of these perspectives are becoming mainstream, such as the emergence of drug use and substance abuse as a public health rather than a criminal justice issue, other views, such as those advocating harm reduction or supporting decriminalisation or legalisation of drugs, are hotly debated. Prevention remains, for the most part, ‘outside’ of these debates, as there seems to be consensus that prevention and education are, and will continue to be, relevant irrespective of the position on these other issues. For the purpose of this paper, prevention refers to the efforts undertaken in stopping the onset of drug abuse among young people (1).